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bioinformatics

American  
[bahy-oh-in-fer-mat-iks] / ˌbaɪ oʊˌɪn fərˈmæt ɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)
  1. the retrieval and analysis of biochemical and biological data using mathematics and computer science, as in the study of genomes.


bioinformatics British  
/ ˌbaɪəʊˌɪnfəˈmætɪks /

noun

  1. the branch of information science concerned with large databases of biochemical or pharmaceutical information

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bioinformatics Scientific  
/ bī′ō-ĭn′fər-mătĭks /
  1. Information technology as applied to the life sciences, especially the technology used for the collection and analysis of genomic data.


Etymology

Origin of bioinformatics

First recorded in 1975–80; bio- ( def. ) + informatics ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Overall, the research underscores the growing importance of bioinformatics, plant pathology, and collaboration across scientific fields.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

The ability to snack on synthetic carbon may confer a crucial survival advantage, noted Intikhab Alam, a senior bioinformatics researcher and co-leader of the study.

From Science Daily • Nov. 4, 2025

The researchers also used specialized bioinformatics software from the Feist Lab to pinpoint genetic changes that increased the microbes' productivity.

From Science Daily • Nov. 3, 2025

Current bioinformatics tools can’t scan this much data all at once, especially for sequences that haven’t yet been assembled into genomes.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 5, 2024

"It was a long and painstaking piece of detective work," says Bernhard Tschitschko, first author of the study and an expert in bioinformatics, "but ultimately, the genome solved many mysteries."

From Science Daily • May 9, 2024